Statement of Scope
Supporting FOLIO Reporting tools and platforms
The FOLIO Reporting Special Interest Group (SIG) engages in the following activities related to support of FOLIO reporting tools and platforms:
- offer support for the development of tools within the Library Data Platform project*, which is developed by Index Data and sponsored the Open Library Foundation:
- gather reporting requirements from the broader FOLIO community
- offer feedback on software features and design
- serve as software testers
- engage in query development activities organized by LDP product owner
- offer support to FOLIO community members using LDP tools and associated queries
- maintain FOLIO end user documentation that connects to LDP project documentation
- stay connected to changes in FOLIO app development and relate relevant information to LDP developers
- advocate within the FOLIO community for the infrastructure necessary for production reporting environments
- offer guidance on how SIG members can connect FOLIO data to non-FOLIO data (from small, temporary data to large, legacy datasets)
- stay connected to non-LDP FOLIO reporting solutions by welcoming tool developers and users to SIG meetings and discussions, especially those solutions that are open source and actively seeking partnerships with FOLIO community members
- participate in discussions about reporting features within FOLIO apps
Communication and Training
The FOLIO Reporting SIG engages in the following activities related to communication and training:
- develop and host training on topics related to FOLIO reporting (e.g., FOLIO data structures, basic SQL query development skills)
- create and maintain connections to functional area SIGs to facilitate tight connections between reporting tools and FOLIO app features and data structures
- provide an opportunity to share information between query development teams and subject matter experts, as well as people interested in different aspects of FOLIO reporting
- advocate for transparency in FOLIO governance practices to ensure that reporting considerations are being addressed
- advocate for additional community resources to be dedicated to reporting software and query development
- share updates on SIG activities with the broader FOLIO community
- maintain a public record of SIG activities
- engage in outreach to recruit new SIG members
- advertise the benefits of SIG participation to individuals (personal development, networking), institutions (representation, visibility), and the FOLIO community (design of effective reporting solutions)
- maintain FOLIO end user documentation that connects to LDP project documentation
- help clarify features of different reporting solutions and hosting options
* - including but not limited to: LDP, Metadb, LDLite, ldpmarc, FOLIO Analytics, LDP App
Reporting SIG Roadmap
Near-term goals (3-6 months)
- Complete Reporting SIG Vision and Strategy document (Statement of Scope, Roadmap, and Mission Statement)
- Build a series of introductory training videos focused on learning the FOLIO data model in different functional areas and how FOLIO data can be queried in the LDP/Metadb
- Complete porting all LDP derived tables to versions that work for Metadb
- Develop a proposal for moving report requests from JIRA to GitHub and get FOLIO community buy-in
- Agree on a new documentation system for FOLIO Analytics queries (especially derived table queries) that provides a quick on-ramp for new LDP/Metadb users
- Identify best practices for asynchronous community development and decision-making
Mid-term goals (6 months-2 years)
- Modify and test Metadb queries to make sure they also work with LDLite
- Develop queries or templates for ldpmarc
- Complete the new framework for FOLIO Analytics documentation and move into maintenance phase
- Propose a PC meeting focused on discussing support for reporting, including an open discussion of hosting challenges
- Build more explicit ties to the reporting community for ReShare, including several joint programming events
- Establish a quarterly schedule of outreach for reporting activities (e.g., FOLIO Forum presentations, WOLFcon presentations, direct communication with community members and institutions)
- Establish a regular schedule of recruitment for new SIG members
- Formalize rotation system for crucial SIG roles and activities (e.g., convener, documentation subteam, query reviewers, bugfest testers)
- Develop additional training on relevant topics (query builder app, SQL, Python/LDLite, GitHub, reviewing queries, transitioning from specific ILSs to FOLIO)
- Gather information from recent implementers on how they are using LDP reporting systems and FOLIO Analytics
Long-term goals (3-5 years)
- Support the LDP project in efforts to identify a stable funding stream
- Pivot from active query development to development of alternative reporting interfaces (e.g., shareable dashboards, FOLIO Dashboard widgets)